


Proud To Be An American

by korasami



Series: Avatar Universe - Modern [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, America, Bisexual Sokka, DID I MENTION IT IS 1776 WORDS, Fourth of July, Gen, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, Independence Day - Freeform, It could be onesided but it's really not, M/M, Modern, Pre-Slash, Slice of Life, The Ty Lee/Azula is only a mention, The Zuko/Katara is only a mention/in the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 10:36:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1895907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/korasami/pseuds/korasami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sokka has a bit of a crush on his best friend. Coincidentally, it is the Fourth of July.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proud To Be An American

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Independence Day! Or unhappy, if you're a Loyalist. I wrote this fic with today's holiday loosely in mind; really, I just wanted to write something that was exactly 1776 words.
> 
> Which means that this is super rushed. It's also un-beta'd, and I wrote it from ~2 in the morning to ~6 in the morning.

For Zuko, the tinkling of a door chime sets off an autonomous, "Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon, may I take your order?"

Sokka thinks that it's adorable.

"It's just me," Sokka says with a smile. "You don't have to stand up!"

Zuko rolls his eyes at that, but Sokka doesn't mind. A chuckle from a nearby table tells him that at least someone found merit to his humor.

"You shouldn't be bothering me at work," Zuko tells Sokka, annoyance settling in his tone. He wipes away at invisible dust on his chest. "I'm very busy."

To Zuko's obvious aggravation, his Uncle Iroh hurries in at that moment.

"Nonsense, nephew!" He says, and puts a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Young man, you brighten up the shop every time you come. You're always welcome here."

It's a nice enough statement, Sokka knows, but he feels it's unwarranted. "Oh, I know Zuko's just messing with me. We all know how much of a sourpuss he can be on holidays!"

Iroh laughs, and lets go of Sokka's shoulder. "I suppose you are right!" When Iroh catches the look on Zuko's face, he tuts at him. "Nephew, that scowl will certainly scare off any customers," he says, then retreats to his tea-brewing station. "How about you ask your friend if he would like anything to drink?"

Red faced, Zuko does just that, although it doesn't sound very sincere.

"Have anything festive?" Sokka asks, pointing at his patriotic garb. "I'm in the mood for something American."

Zuko snorts. "If you wanted Lipton, you could have gone to any number of lower-quality shops."

Laughter comes out of Sokka's mouth before he can process what was said. Eyes widening, Sokka gasps. "You made a joke! I can't believe this! Iroh—Iroh, Zuko made a joke!"

A blush rises over Zuko's face and neck, and he fiddles with a belt loop on his pants. "Shut up, Watertribe."

Frowning, Sokka leans against an unoccupied chair. "School's out, Fireboy. Do you really have to use that kind of talk?"

Zuko raises his eyebrow, and puts a hand on his hip. "Do you want anything or not?"

Hands raised in defense, Sokka maneuvers his way into the empty seat before him. "I'll have a white pomegranate, with a few lemon scones. But you knew that."

Charming smiles from Sokka are Zuko's favorite thing, or at least, that's what Sokka has gathered. A glimpse of flustered face as Zuko turns away does nothing to suppress this belief, so he keeps on smiling.

People watching is one of Sokka's hobbies, so he does just that while he waits for his order to be filled. Although the tea shop is lacking tacky red, white, and blue, her patrons certainly aren't. To Sokka's left, right next to the entrance, a couple decked out in American flags clash beautifully with the calm green walls behind them. A group of three teenaged girls—whom Sokka vaguely recognizes as being on the National Fire Academy Sun Warriors' cheer team—are munching on biscotti while singing Miley Cyrus' "Party In The U.S.A.," a table away.

For a brief moment, Sokka contemplates going over to their table and flirting with them. His eyes drift over to the closed door of the brewing room, and the thought of Zuko keeps him rooted firmly to his seat. When one of the girls lean over to peck another on the lips, Sokka figures he made the right decision.

Excitement flows through Sokka when he sees the brewing room door swing open, and he scolds himself for it. Feeling giddy when your friend enters the room is not manly. Sokka makes eye contact regardless, and, once again, the fluster returns. Or, perhaps, it never left.

"Took you long enough!" Sokka exclaims, but he doesn't mean it. After setting down his tray, Zuko gives Sokka his typical, broody glare. "When do you get off? Work, that is."

Breathing deep, Zuko says, "Not until seven. It's a busy day, and we're right next to the—"

"-—Fireworks!" Sokka shouts, waving a scone before taking a large bite. "You get off just in time for the fireworks! Come on, Zuko," he says while he chews, "Katara and Aang are going together _as a couple_ , and Katara told me to find a date of my own—I can't go with Toph for obvious reasons, and Suki's up in Michigan with her family—it's why I came here in the first place, to be honest—not that I don't love coming here—Zuko!"

Sokka pushes back his seat and grabs a napkin, crouching down to mop up the hot water Zuko had spilled all over himself. One of the girls nearby lets out a sharp laugh, and Zuko still hasn't moved.

"Jeez, Zuko, what was that all about?" Sokka asks, and, now finished with the shoes, pats his way up Zuko's body. Most of the water was concentrated on Zuko's shirt, which, Sokka supposed, was better than it getting everywhere.

When Sokka presses his second napkin into Zuko's warm, damp chest, he finds himself face-to-face with a red and slack-jawed Zuko, his yellow-brown eyes wide and glazed.

"Zuko?" Sokka says, his voice conveying his worry. "It's fine, really, I didn't really want another cup, anyway."

"Silly Zu-Zu," the cackling girl says, and somehow, this snaps Zuko out of his trance.

"Sorry, sorry!" Zuko says shakily, loudly, and steps back like a snap. "I don't know what came over me. What—what were you saying?"

Sokka frowns, and cautiously hands over the napkin. "You sure you're okay? I can call someone—"

"I said I was fine!" Zuko—almost barks, actually, and that makes Sokka uncomfortable.

Warily, Sokka leans an arm on the back of his chair. "You don't have to go see the fireworks with me. Sorry if I was pressuring you, I know you're not a fan of crowds."

Finding it suddenly difficult to look at Zuko's scar, Sokka looks at the streaking smears of water on the floor.

"No!" Zuko says. "I'd—I would love to go with you to watch the fireworks."

The mood was officially ruined, but Sokka tried to make the most of it with his smile. "Great! I'll see you...the firework show starts at 9, right? I'll swing by here at 8:30, say, and we can walk down to Kyoshi Bay together?"

"Uh, sure," Zuko says, and his eyes are closed.

Sokka gives a lazy salute, and sits to finish his tea. "It's a date, then?"

If he had been looking, Sokka would have seen Zuko freeze again.

The chimes at the door tinkled, and Zuko adjusts his damp apron to greet a new customer.

* * *

 

All things considered, Sokka found it pretty easy to whip up a nice American-inspired outfit for the night. His mirror reflection showed off a dark blue buttondown shirt, sleeves rolled up above the elbows; the red knee-length shorts he wears look very nice against his brown skin, if Sokka does say so himself, and they serve as a compliment to his white choker. His hair is left down with the excuse that it could get cold, and he'll put it up if it turns out otherwise; it has nothing to do with Zuko's reaction to his morning hair the first time they had a sleepover.

A hard knock on his door jolted Sokka from his thoughts, and Katara barges in before he could move.

"Sokka, I—ugh, Sokka," Katara says, "Seriously, don't you _ever_  get tired of making muscles at your reflection?"

Sokka gives her a cheeky grin. "What brings you to the Sokk-cave?"

Katara lets out a short, astonished laugh at that, and crosses her arms before she speaks. "I was just letting you know that I'm ready to leave. I told Aang I'd meet him at 8, and it's twenty 'til. If you want to stick with your," she said the next words with disdain, " _walking with Zuko_  idea, we'll have to leave now."

It always baffles Sokka as to why Katara and Zuko never got along. Perhaps there was lingering tension from their breakup, although both parties had assured Sokka it was mutual.

"Alright, sis. Gran knows we're going out, right?"

Surprisingly, Katara raised her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. "Yeah. She's already left. With _Mr. Pakku_."

Old people gossip! Sokka's favorite. "Mr. Pakku? You've got to tell me more."

And she did, on the way to the car. Once in and buckled, she started on about the drama within her age group.

"...but Toph told me that it was Jinora who stole it, and I just don't know who to believe!" Katara rants, twiddling her fingers in the passenger seat as Sokka nods along. "I mean, Jinora's like a sister to me, I don't want to think she'd do anything unruly, but Toph's my friend, too! _And_  why should I trust Yue when she—er," Katara pauses, sees no malice in Sokka's expression, and plunges on, "Well, you know what she did! But it just makes more sense for it to have been Smellerbee! She steals stuff all the time!"

The Jasmine Dragon came into view when they turned the corner, and Sokka took the chance to interrupt his sister. "We're here, Katara."

Sokka pulls into the Jasmine Dragon's parking lot, and Zuko is waiting for them outside of the storefront. Even in the poor lighting, he looks spectacular.

"Hello Sokka," he says as Sokka opens the car door, "Katara."

Sokka rolls his eyes as Katara merely nods in response.

"You, uh, you look lovely," Zuko tells her, and she scoffs at him.

"Yeah, like you were looking," she hisses quietly, just as Sokka walks up to them.

Upon arrival, Sokka gives Zuko a very manly bro-hug, and yes, this only reaffirms Sokka's bisexuality.

"Ready to go?" Sokka asks, holding out both arms for grabs. Katara instantly latches to his right, as they always did as kids. Zuko, however, is a bit more stubborn. "Come on, Fireboy! Where's your patriotism?"

Before he grabs onto Sokka's arm, Zuko mumbles something about "Sokka's patriotism," which Sokka doesn't catch. Katara does, and she lets out an affronted squeak.

"Zuko!" She says in that voice of hers, and Sokka's amused to discover that Zuko actually flinches.

"Stop fighting, you're killing the freedom!"

They don't stop, but Sokka finds himself okay with that when Zuko starts pressing up very close to him to get a better view of Katara. In fact, Sokka goes as far as to side with Katara, just to get Zuko to tighten the firm grip on his arm.

It was so pleasant that nobody minded when they missed the fireworks.


End file.
